Grand Theft Auto VI Arrives Nov. 19: What Parents Should Know Before Saying Yes
The year's most anticipated video game carries an M for Mature 17+ rating, and families have good options whichever way they decide.
By REBECCA HARTMANLifestyle · Nov 13, 3:00 PM
FLORIDA — Grand Theft Auto VI, the newest entry in Rockstar Games' blockbuster crime series, launches Thursday, Nov. 19, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, The Independent reported. It is arriving with enormous momentum: the game has already reached $1 billion in sales before release, according to Forbes, as reported by The Washington Times.
For many families, the question this month is not whether their children have heard of it. It is whether it belongs in the house. Here is what parents should know before launch day.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board, the industry's ratings body for North America, has rated Grand Theft Auto VI M for Mature 17+. Its listing names seven content descriptors: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, and Use of Drugs and Alcohol. The listing also notes that the game includes in-game purchases, which matters for any parent whose payment card is linked to a family console.
Put plainly, the people who rate games for a living have said this one is made for adults. That is not a moral panic. It is the label on the box, and it is the same kind of guidance families already rely on…